Molding press



I July 1944. A. w. KINGSTON 2,354,029 I MOLDING PRESS 1 Filed July 16, 1942 6' Sheets-Sheet 1 ARTHUR W KINGSTON 17/64 INYENTOR July 18, 1944.

Filed July 16, 1942 A T UR -W Knvcs'rou INVENTO July 18,1944. A. w. KINGSTON 5 MOLDING PRESS Filed July 16. 1942 a sheets-Shela;

' ARTHUR W/f/NcsTo/v mrsurox A dim i 1 46,40

y 1944- A. w. KINYGSTON 2,354,029

MOLDING PRESS A. W. KINGSTON MOLDING PRESS July 18, 1944.-.

Fi1ed Ju1y'l6, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 JIkrHuR W KINGSTON INYENTOR July 18, 1944. A.'W. KINGSTON MOLDING PRESS Filed July 16, 1942 e Shets-Sheet e ARTHUR W hmcsrou INVENTOR 7 Patented l8,

UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFICE" 1 Q na in V I 7 Arthur William Kingston; Denham, England App ication July 18; 1942, Serial No. 451.10?

In Great Britain August 5, 1938 s Claims.

This invention is for improvements in or relating to rotary table type molding presses and has for its object to provide such a press which is capable of high output and of adjustment to meet the conditions required for molding a variety of articles from plastic materials. Thus thermoplastic materials must be brought to their plasticising temperature before they can be shaped by dies, and the time taken to reach that temperature may vary with the precise nature of the material or the; amount thereof to be shaped. For like reasons the period of molding under pressure may need to be varied. The invention therefore aims at providing a molding press in which the material may be pro-heated and the duration of such heating or that of the molding under pressure of .both of those periods may be varied. i I

According to the present invention, the press has a plurality of reciprocable diesand co-operating molds each having Jackets to which heating and cooling media ar cyclically supplied and wherein each die in .turn is first brought into light contact with the material in its co-operating mold to pre-heat the material, is then caused to exert a predetermined pressure on the heated material for. is-zo) capable of angular adjustment so as to vary the point of admission and cut-oil. of the fluid.

to shape'it, and is finally withdrawn from contact with the material; means being provided for varying the duration of the pre-heating or the duration of shaping or of 'both of these periods.

The dies are carried by plungers which may be operated by coming successively into contact with a downwardly-inclined cam track leading to a horizontal cam track which may be adiustable as to lengthand terminating in an upwardly-inclined cam track and conveniently the duration of preliminary heating is varied by resiliently mounting the co-operating mold and adjusting the extent of movement thereof such that as the plunger moves down the inclined cam track it's'die comes into light contact with the material in the mold for a period determined by the extent of movement of the mold.

v The duration of the molding under pressure is varied by altering the eifective length of the horizontal cam track.

Preferably the heating and cooling of the dies and molds is eflected by supplying fluid media to the jackets through a valve member rotatable with a carrier on which the dies are mounted and having at least one port communicating with each Jacket and a co-operating stationary valve member for directing the fluid to each jacket in succession and the. stationary valve member is Figure 2 is a view corresponding to Figure 1' but showing the rear of the press;

Figure 3 is a. longitudinal section through the press;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section through one of the lun ers and co-operating mold;

Figu e 5 is a view partly in section of the steam and cooling water distributor;

"Figure 6 is a section on the line A-A of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a sectional view showing the camtin means; and l i gure 8 is a 'detail view showing the downwardly-inclined cam and the means for varying len th of the main cam. ftefer ring to the drawings, the rotary press comprises a base I with three co-operatmg side supports 2 connected at their upper ends to form a cross frame i5 which supports the upper end of a fixed, central, vertical shaft 3 on which there is mounted a rotatable carrier 4. 7 The carrier 4 is supported by three roller-bearings 5 each carried .by one of the side supports 2. Two of these roller-bearings I may be capacle of vertical adjustment whereby the carrier 4 can be maintained in ahorizontal plane. The carrier 4 is mounted near to the lower end of the central shaft 3 and is provided with three vertically spaced circular flanges 6, I and 8 extending laterally from the main body portion of the vcarrier.

The lowermost flange i carries on its underside an internally-toothed ring 9 which is driven by a motor llv through a suitable gear train (not shown) which train preferably includes suitable control means, for example, a centrifugal governor capable of adjustment to vary the speed of the carrier within desired limits, for example benected followers II are supported by the flanges I and Q. The flanges I and] are provided with a the molding cycle.

circumferentially-spaced holes |4 through which the plunger and followers respectively pass.

Secured to the fixed cross frame l5 of the press, which connects the upper ends of the side supports 2 above the carrier 4, are three 'arcuate cam-tracks I6, I1 and I8. The cam tracks I3 and I8 are supporting tracks whilst the track ll is a depressing track for the purposeof bringing the die carried by the plungers to their operarection is limited by the flange 3,3 abutting the ring 34. The extent of the for-men movement "may be varied by providing a washer around the track I1 is, as more fully described later, moun't-- moved away from the end of the cam track its extension Il forms a prolongation of the cam track ll. length of the cam track I! may be varied. The followers |3 are elevated from their depressed position by means of an upwardly-inclined cam track leading to the upper surface of the supporting cam track Hi. This upwardly-inclined track together with the cam 8 is adjustable as more fully described hereafte to adjust the point at which the followers ar elevated and the plungers lifted out of contact with molds. Thus as the carrier 4 rotates the plungers are successively depressed whilst traversing the downward ly-inclined cam track I1 and brought to fully lowered position'in which they are maintained for the molding operation whilst traversing the cam track I1, and then raised fully to inoperative position by the upwardly-inclined cam track to be supported by the cam track l8.

The carrier 4 also supports part of a distributor l9, hereinafter more fully described, for steam for heating and cooling water and also delivery conduits which lead from the distributor to jackets surrounding the molds II and thence to a collector 20 mounted below the carrier 4.

v The construction of the molds II and of the co-operating plungers I2 is shown more particularly in Figure 4 of the drawings. Each mold .comprises a molding die 2| having a jacket 22 in which it seats, the jacket 22 being equipped with a steam and cooling water supply pipe 23 and a corresponding delivery or exhaust pipe 24 whereby the jacket and thence the die can be heated and then cooled ove'r desired portions of A steam trap 25 is provided in the delivery or exhaust pipe-line 24, In order to facilitate removal of the molding die 2| with the molded article after the molding operation there is provided an ejector mechanism which is' later described in detail and is disposed in the lower part of the molds. The molding die 2| and associated jacket 22 are resiliently mounted in a support which comprises a cylindrical outer At its upper partthe member 32 protrudes out ofthe casing 3| to terminate in a flangei33 screwed thereto on which is mounted the jacket 22. 'The flange 33 co-operates with an annular By such adjustment the effective portion of smaller diameter of the member 32 whilst the latter movement may be varied by replacing the ring 34 with another of differentthickness or by means of a washer as may be most convenient. The extent of permissible travel of the die 2| governs the period of preliminary heating of the material in the die as is explained hereinafter.

The die jacket 22 and the member 32 are bored centrally and in the continuous bore thus formed there is accommodated a solid ejecting member 4| of the molding die 2| which member terminates in a pin 42 seating in a recess provided in a piston 43 slidable in the member 32. The piston 43,-the member 32 and the casing 3| are provided with a lateral slot 44 and in this slot a lever 45 is mounted, the lever being pivoted at 46 to the casing 3|. The portion of the lever 45 which extends into the slot in the piston 43 has moves round the rollers 43 successively enter,

on conclusion of the molding operation, a recess .in an arcuate member 249 (Figure 1) which recess is appropriately shaped and serves as a cam track functioning to rock the lever 43 to move the piston 43 and-bring about ejection of the shaped articles from the molds.

The plungers |2 (Figure 4) each comprise a sleeve 50, passing through the carrier flange I and bored axially from both ends, the diameter of the lower bore 5| being less than that of the upper bore 52 with which it communicates by way of a hole of slightly smaller diameter than the bore 5|; thereby forming an internal flange or annulus 5-3. Fitting in the bore 32 to abut against the flange 53 is an upwardly-extending inner sleeve 54. .Within the lower bore 3| fits an extension 35 of a molding die 33 intended for co-operation with the die 2H6 form moldings to the required shape. The die extension 33 is detachably secured by means of a screw 31. A jacket 53 surrounds the die 33 and is connected to the main steam and cooling water conduit 23 and also to the jacket 22 by the pipe 23; thus the two jackets, are connected in series by the pipe 23 forming the delivery or exhaust pipe of the jacket 33 and the supply pipe of the jacket 22.

casing 3 within which there is accommodated .a spring-loaded member 32 capable of limited axial movement with respect to the casing 3|.

The follower l3 consists essentially of a'roller 39 mounted for free rotation upon a fixed shaft which is secured in a cradle 3| by nuts 32, 33. Auxiliary rollers, 34, 34 are also mounted for free rotation on this shaft 33 between one arm of the cradle 3| and the nuts 32, 33 respectively. Rotation of the shaft 33 is prevented by a screw 33 entered into a tapped hole in the cradle 3| and passing into a blind hole in the shaft 33. The base of the cradle 3| is bored to receive a vertical rod, retained by a cross-bolt 31 which is secured by a nut 33. The vertical rod 33 extends downwardly through the inner sleeve 64 of the plunger I2 into the bore II and has anend flange or head 88 between which-and the flange or annulus 88 there is a distance piece 69. The rod 64 is spaced from the inner sleeve i4 and is guided for movement by two bushes II and II secured to the sleeve 54 at or near the ends thereof. Surrounding the upper part of the rod 68 is an extension I2 of the cradle BI, which extension passing through the carrier flange 'I has a conical end flange 13. A strong compression spring I4 is located between the flange I3 and a face-plate 15 secured to the upper end of the sleeve 50 of the plunger, with the spring surrounding the sleeve. With the plunger I2 in its inoperative position, there is a predetermined distance between the fiange I3 andjthe upper end of the sleeve 54 as may be seen in Figure 4. n the follower I8 imparting movement to the assembly, it moves bodily downward until such time as the die 56 engages the die 2I or the material therein and the movement thereof is resisted thereby as when the resilience of the mold mounting is taken up. There is now a relative movement between the sleeve 50 and the rod 68 as the spring I4 is compressed betweenthe conical end flange- I3 and the face plate 'llandthe head 66 of the rod 66 slides in the bore 511$;

As already mentioned, the plunger followers I 3 are actuated by the three cam tracks I6, II and I8 secured to the stationary frame of the press and the two inclined cam tracks I I and I8. Figures 7 and 8 best showthe disposition of the tracks. The cam-track I6 co-acts with the I auxiliary rollers 64 and the cam tracks I8 and I8 with thegauxiliary rollers 64 while the cam to a slldable plate a. 'Iheplates 8| and as are mounted upon the flxed shaft 8.

Extending through the cross-head I of the press frame are-three stub shafts 84, 85 and 88 mounted for rotation. At their lower ends, these shafts carry pairs of pinions 81, 88 and 88 respec tlvely. One driving chain 88 is connected at its ends to either side of the plate II extending from a lug SI around the lower pinion 81., thence around the lower pinion 89 and the lower pinion 88 to a lug 82. Another driving chain Slis connected at its ends to either side of the plate 88, extending from a ing 84, around the upper pinions 81, 88 and 89 thence to a lug 95. and the lower pinion 89 are driven while the two pinions 81, the lower pinion 88 and the upper tracks I1 an d'i'l co-act with the main roller 59.

The track It serves to maintain the plungers l2 in the fully raised position for a predetermined period of the rotation of the carrier 4, during which time the rollers 64 run along the upper surface of the track'IG. The carrier 4 moves in an anticlockwise direction as seen in Figure- 7 and it will be seen'from Figure 8 that, when each roller 64 -leaves the track IS, the corresponding main roller 59 passes beneath the downwardly inclined cam track II forming the entry portion of the cam track I'I. During part of this movement down the cam track I1 the'plungers I2 are moved downwardly first to dwellfor a short period in light contact with the molds II or the material therein for the purpose hereinafter described. At the end of the movement down the cam track I1 the plungers are at their lowermost position with their dies in high pressure contact with the molds'l I, which position is maintained during the molding operation proper by the. cam track I1. When the rollers 58 approach the end of the cam track II, the auxiliary rollers 64 ride up on the upwardly-inclined cam track I8 and on to the track I8, lifting the plungers I2 to the fully raised position. After a period of horizontal travel of the rollers 64 on'the track I8, the rollers 64 reach the horizontal track I8 and travel on this for the remainder of the cycle.

In order to adapt the press to different periods of molding, the period during which the plungers I2 are lowered can be varied by altering the effective length of the cam track II as described above by displacing the downwardly! inclined cam track I1 For this purpose thecam track I1 is carried by an arm88 which is bolted pinion 88 turn'freely. For actuating the upper pinion 88. and the lower pinion 89, the respective shafts and 86 carry at their upper ends segmental racks 9G, 91 housed in casings 98 and 99 (Figure 1), which racks are operated by a worm IIII mounted on a driven shaft IIiI (Figure '7).

The shaft II is rotated manually through a on the shaft .3 for rotation with the carrier 4.

Spaced around the periphery of, and communicating with the interior of, the-casing III! are the distributor pipes 20. Fitting within'the casing H0 is a flanged plate III having a fluid-tight fit therewith; The side wall II2 of the casing I It has a plurality of spaced ports II3 equal in number and spacing to the pipes 20 and communicating therewith. The flange II4 on the plate III is shaped to provide two separate chambers H5 and III; respectively which communicate .at any time with a limited number of the ports Ill through ports Ill and II 8. One of the chambers I I5, H6 is supplied with steam through a pipe II9 while the otheris supplied with cooling water through the pipe I20. The points of for rotation on the shaft 3.

application of heating and cooling relative to (Figure 3). By synchronously operating, through the common operating handle I03, the means for altering the points of heating and cooling with the means for varying the commencement of the the cam track I8 with its upwardly-inclined cam track I8 is carried by a segmental arm 82 boltedv pressure, it is possible to ensure that the heat ing will occur always at 'a point in predetermined the initial position when the follower I8 of a.

plunger is supported on the cam track I6 by its roller 84 ,'as the carrier 4 rotates theroller 64 leaves the end of the cam track I6 butv is prevented from falling by the; downwardly-inclined extension. I6. Further rotation of the carrier brings the main roller 59 into-engagement with the downwardly-inclined cam track I'l As .the

roller fills progressivelydepressed by the cam- Th upper pinion 88 [surface I].

cam track I1 at the point when permissible contact is quite light and is maintained in spite of further downward movement of the plunger assembly due to the resilient mounting of the die 2|, the period of this light contact being governed by the extent of permissiblev movement of the member 32 limited by the flange 33 contacting the ring 34.

' During this part of the operation steam is supplied to the jackets 58 and 22 and the dies are heated and the heat transferred to the material in the die 2| to soften it and bring it to appropriate plastic condition for shaping when the dies are more strongly pressed together. The period necessary for the heating of the material will vary with the nature of the material or the amount thereof in the. die and this period of heating may be altered by varying the extent of movement of the resilient mounting of the die 2| as already described.

On leaving the inclined cam track I'l the roller 59 rides on to the underside of the cam At the end of its travel down the movement of the die 2| has been taken up, the

full pressure is applied and during the application of that pressure the rod 66 is moved relatively to the sleeve 50 against the action of the the steam is cut oil! by the means previously described and a cooling medium is caused to circulate through the Jackets 58 and 22 to cool the dies and cause the material to set to the shape defined thereby. The means for varying the commencement and ending of the heating period have already been mentioned. In some cases it is desirable to maintain the dies in contact for a longer period when the efl'ective length of the cam track I! is increased by a displacement of the cam track I1 so that the extension operates independently of the rest of the cam track II as a prolongation of the latter.

On conclusion of the molding operation the inclined cam. track I4 engages the roller 64 and causes upward movement of the follower l3 and the plunger assembly to lift the die 58 clear of the die 2|. After riding up the inclined cam track I8 the roller 64 rides on to the. cam track I! and the plunger assembly is supported thereby until the support is taken over by the roller 64 riding on the cam track l8.. As the mold moves round, after completion of the molding operation, the roller 49 on the end of the lever 43 enters the recessed cam track in the member 249 whereby the lever 45 is caused to rock and reciprocate the piston 43 and the ejector 4| to eject the'shaped article from the die 2|.

The temperature of the heating of the dies and the rapidity of the cooling may be governed in the one case by the temperature of the steam I claim:

"1. In a rotary molding press for thermoplastic materials the combination of a stationary frame, a rotary member mounted on said frame, a pinrality of molding units on said rotary member each of said units comprising a reciprocable jacketed die and a resiliently mounted jacketed mold co-operating with said die. a valve-member rotatable with said rotary member and having at least one port connecting with each jacket pair associated with a molding unit, a second valvemember on said stationary frame co-operatlng with said first-mentioned valve member for directing first heating and then cooling media to the jackets of said units successively, means for angularly adjusting said second-mentioned valvemember for varying the cyclic points of admission and cut-off of said media, together with cam-track means on said stationary frame coacting with said dies to cause light pressure to be applied on initial contact between said dies and the material to be molded disposed in said molds so as to preheat said material, then to hold said dies engaged with said molds at molding pressure, and at the end of the molding operation to remove said dies out of contact with said molds. V

2. In a rotary molding press for thermoplastic materials, the combination of a stationary frame,

a rotary member mounted on said frame, means for rotating said rotary member, a plurality of molding units mounted on said rotary member each unit comprising a reciprocable jacketeddie and a resiliently mounted co-operating jacketed mold, adjustable valve means for varying the points oiv application-first of heating and then of cooling media sequentially to the jackets of said reciprocable dies and said co-operating molds, cam track means on said stationary frame having an inclined portion for successively lifting said reciprocable dies and a flat portion for supporting them out of contact with the molds during a predetermined extent of rotation of the rotary member, co-operating cam track means having an inclined portion for bringing said reciprocable dies into initial light contact with said co-operating molds whilst taking up permissible movement thereof due to their resilient mounting and a flat portion for holding said dies in molding engagement with said molds, means for varying the length of said co-operating cam track means to vary the point of application of the molding engagement and hence the duration of molding, and means for simultaneously adjusting said valve means and said length varying means of said co-operating cam track means.

3. In a. rotary molding press for thermoplastic materials, the combination of a stationary frame, a rotary member mounted on said frame, means for rotating said rotary member, a plurality of molding units mounted on said rotary'member each unit comprising a jacketed mold and a jacketed die capable of limited movement under.

and in the latter by the temperature of the coolingmedium which may be water at atmospheric or lower temperature. v I

The invention can be applied to the molding of articles from thermosetting material as well as from thermoplastic material, on suitable moditlcation in constructional detailbeing made.

. spring control relative to a reciprocably mountedmember, adjustable valve means for varying the, points of application first of heating and then of coolingmedia sequentially to the Jackets of said reciprocable dies and said co-operating molds, cam track means on said stationary frame having an inclined portion and a flat portion, means'on said reciprocable members for engagement by said 'cam track to reciprocate said members to lift:the dies carried thereby and support them out of contact with the molds during a predetermined extentof rotation of the rotary member.

ass-1,029

co-operating cam track means having an inclined portion and a flat portion, means for varying therewith.

4. In a rotary molding press for thermoplastic materials, the combination of a stationary frame, a rotary member mounted on said frame, means for rotating said rotary member, a plurality of molding units mounted on said rotary member each unit comprising a reciprocable jacketed die and a resiliently mounted co-operating jacketed mold, a valve-member rotatable member and having at least one port connecting with each jacket pair associated with a molding unit, a secondgvalve-member on said stationary frame co-operating with said first-mentioned valve member for directing first heating and then cooling media to the jackets of said units successively, means for angularly adjusting said secondmentioned valve-member for varying the cyclic points of admission and cut-off of said media, cam'track means on said stationary frame having an inclined portion for successively lifting v said reciprocable dies and a flat portion for supporting them out of contact ing a predetermined extent rotary member, co-operating having an inclined portion for ciprocable dies into initial light contact with said co-operating molds and a fiat portion-for holding said dies in molding engagement with said molds, angularly adjustable means for varying the length of the fiat portion of said co-operating with the molds durof rotation of the bringing said recam track means, and means for simultaneously adjusting the angularity of said second valve member and of said length varying means of said co-operating' cam track means.

with said rotary cam track means i 5 a rotary molding press for thermoplastic materials, the combination of a stationary frame,

a rotary member mounted on said frame, means for rotating said rotary member, a plurality of .molding units mounted on said rotary member each unit comprising a resiliently mounted jacketed mold and a jacketed die capableof limited movement under spring control relative to a reciprocably mounted member, a valve-member rotatable with said rotary member and having at least one port connecting with each jacket pair associated with a molding unit, a second valvemember on said stationary frame co-operating with said first-mentioned valve member for directing first heating and then cooling media to the jackets of said units successively, means for angularly adjusting said second-mentioned valvemember for varying the cyclic points of admission and cut-off of said media, cam track'means on said stationary frame having an inclined portion and a flat portion, means on said reciprocable members for engagement by said cam track to reciprocate said members to lift the dies carried thereby and support them out of contact with the molds during a predetermined extent of rotation of the rotary membenco-operating cam track means having an inclined portion and aflat portion, angularly adjustable means for varying the length of the flatportion of said co-opcrating cam track means, means on said reciprocable members for engagement by said co-opcrating cam track means to urge the dies carried thereby towards said molds to take up the resilience of their mountings and thereafter hold them in pressure engagement therewith, and means for simultaneously adjusting the angularity of said second valve member and of said length varying means of said co-operating cam track means.

ARTHUR WILLIAM KINGSTON. 

